SummaryIn this BioMechMeniscus project we will develop a workflow for optimal placement of a novel meniscus implant. The medial meniscus implant (named ‘Trammpolin’) has been developed using methods developed during the BioMechTools project such as 1) principle component analyses based on MRI-segmented image to assess the anatomical shape of the meniscus, 2) assessing sensitivity of cartilage stresses and implant strains on size and design-parameters using finite element techniques and 3) utilizing load-predictions from our award-winning musculoskeletal models.
All data shows that the biomechanical behaviour of Trammpolin in the knee will be sensitive to appropriate sizing and positioning within the knee. Therefore, this BioMechMeniscus project focuses on developing a surgeon-friendly platform to pre-plan the size and position and to execute the surgery as accurately as possible.
The software will automatically perform MRI-segmentation of the tibia, femur and meniscus insertion sites. Subsequently, the best meniscus implant size and position (leading to the lowest cartilage stress and acceptable implant strains) is proposed by the program. The surgeon can adapt the proposal and gets feedback about the expected changes in biomechanical performance.
After the pre-plan is accepted a patient-specific arthroscopic surgical guide is 3-D printed which will be used as an aiming device for an external (standard) surgical guide for fixation of the horns.
The project is subdivided in four Tasks and will last for 18 months. An experienced team will supervise a post-doc during the various activities. A project scheme is made and a risk and contingency plan is defined. A detailed competitor and commercial analysis has been made and we are convinced that with the BioMechMeniscus project we have a unique opportunity to bring a novel implant to the market and support it with a distinct pre-planning and surgical assistance tool to optimize clinical performance.

In this BioMechMeniscus project we will develop a workflow for optimal placement of a novel meniscus implant. The medial meniscus implant (named ‘Trammpolin’) has been developed using methods developed during the BioMechTools project such as 1) principle component analyses based on MRI-segmented image to assess the anatomical shape of the meniscus, 2) assessing sensitivity of cartilage stresses and implant strains on size and design-parameters using finite element techniques and 3) utilizing load-predictions from our award-winning musculoskeletal models.
All data shows that the biomechanical behaviour of Trammpolin in the knee will be sensitive to appropriate sizing and positioning within the knee. Therefore, this BioMechMeniscus project focuses on developing a surgeon-friendly platform to pre-plan the size and position and to execute the surgery as accurately as possible.
The software will automatically perform MRI-segmentation of the tibia, femur and meniscus insertion sites. Subsequently, the best meniscus implant size and position (leading to the lowest cartilage stress and acceptable implant strains) is proposed by the program. The surgeon can adapt the proposal and gets feedback about the expected changes in biomechanical performance.
After the pre-plan is accepted a patient-specific arthroscopic surgical guide is 3-D printed which will be used as an aiming device for an external (standard) surgical guide for fixation of the horns.
The project is subdivided in four Tasks and will last for 18 months. An experienced team will supervise a post-doc during the various activities. A project scheme is made and a risk and contingency plan is defined. A detailed competitor and commercial analysis has been made and we are convinced that with the BioMechMeniscus project we have a unique opportunity to bring a novel implant to the market and support it with a distinct pre-planning and surgical assistance tool to optimize clinical performance.

SummaryThe aetiology of many musculoskeletal (MS) diseases is related to biomechanical factors. However, the tools to assess the biomechanical condition of patients used by clinicians and researchers are often crude and subjective leading to non-optimal patient analyses and care. In this project innovations related to imaging, sensor technology and biomechanical modelling are utilized to generate versatile, accurate and objective methods to quantify the (pathological) MS condition of the lower extremity of patients in a unique manner. The project will produce advanced diagnostic, pre-planning and outcome tools which allow clinicians and researchers for detailed biomechanical analysis about abnormal tissue deformations, pathological loading of the joints, abnormal stresses in the hard and soft tissues, and aberrant joint kinematics.
The key objectives of this proposal are:
1) Develop and validate image-based 3-D volumetric elastographic diagnostic methods that can quantify normal and pathological conditions under dynamic loading and which can be linked to biomechanical modelling tools.
2) Create an ultrasound (US)-based system to assess internal joint kinematics which can be used as a diagnostic tool for clinicians and researchers and is a validation tool for biomechanical modelling.
3) Generate and validate an ambulant functional (force and kinematic) diagnostic system which is easy to use and which can be used to provide input data for biomechanical models.
4) Create and validate a new modelling approach that integrates muscle-models with finite element models at a highly personalized level.
5) Generate biomechanical models which have personalized mechanical properties of the hard and soft tissues.
6) Demonstrate the applicability of the personalized diagnostic and pre-planning platform by application to healthy individuals and patient subjects.
Support from the ERC will open new research fields related to biomechanical patient assessment and modeling of MS pathologies.

The aetiology of many musculoskeletal (MS) diseases is related to biomechanical factors. However, the tools to assess the biomechanical condition of patients used by clinicians and researchers are often crude and subjective leading to non-optimal patient analyses and care. In this project innovations related to imaging, sensor technology and biomechanical modelling are utilized to generate versatile, accurate and objective methods to quantify the (pathological) MS condition of the lower extremity of patients in a unique manner. The project will produce advanced diagnostic, pre-planning and outcome tools which allow clinicians and researchers for detailed biomechanical analysis about abnormal tissue deformations, pathological loading of the joints, abnormal stresses in the hard and soft tissues, and aberrant joint kinematics.
The key objectives of this proposal are:
1) Develop and validate image-based 3-D volumetric elastographic diagnostic methods that can quantify normal and pathological conditions under dynamic loading and which can be linked to biomechanical modelling tools.
2) Create an ultrasound (US)-based system to assess internal joint kinematics which can be used as a diagnostic tool for clinicians and researchers and is a validation tool for biomechanical modelling.
3) Generate and validate an ambulant functional (force and kinematic) diagnostic system which is easy to use and which can be used to provide input data for biomechanical models.
4) Create and validate a new modelling approach that integrates muscle-models with finite element models at a highly personalized level.
5) Generate biomechanical models which have personalized mechanical properties of the hard and soft tissues.
6) Demonstrate the applicability of the personalized diagnostic and pre-planning platform by application to healthy individuals and patient subjects.
Support from the ERC will open new research fields related to biomechanical patient assessment and modeling of MS pathologies.